BCI to Report Significant Research Findings on PCB Dechlrorination at Battelle Conference

Bioremediation Consulting, Inc. will present recent research findings on dechlorination of PCBs at the Battelle Conference - 'Remediation of Chlorinated and Recalcitrant Compounds', May 21-24, 2012 in Monterey, California. BCI's research; 'PCB Biodegradation by a Dehalococcoides (Dhc) Culture Grown on Trichlorobenzenes' can be found at Poster Location 17 on Level 1 in the Exhibit Hall from Wednesday, May 23rd at 7 am to Thursday, May 24th at 1:30 pm. The poster will be staffed on Wednesday, May 23rd from 11:00 am to 12:45 pm.

The research showed significant anaerobic biodegradation of PCB's using BCI's strain of sediment-free Dehalococcoides (Dhc) The PCB-degrading culture was tested on three commercial mixtures of PCB's (Aroclor 1260, 1254, and 1242). Within ten weeks of incubation a significant portion of the PCBs having five to eight chlorine atoms per biphenyl were dechlorinated to PCBs having two to five chlorine atoms per biphenyl.

The research was funded by a National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research grant. As a result of this research, BCI is now able to offer the first commercially available sediment-free PCB-degrading culture for microcosm testing or bioaugmentation. Since low chlorinated PCBs are readily aerobically degradable, this breakthrough will support sediment remediation by sequential anaerobic-aerobic processes.

BCI will have a second poster on display at the Battelle Conference in Monterey, CA which documents an innovative approach to eliminating Vinyl Chloride by harnessing the biodegradation capabilities of three types of bacteria. The topic of the poster is 'Aerobic Vinyl Chloride Metabolism in Groundwater Microcosms by Methanotrophic and Ethenetrophic Bacteria'. It is number 66 in Group E7 and will be on display on the third floor of the Conference Center on Wednesday, May 23rd from 7:00 am to Thursday, May 24th at 1:00 pm. The poster will be staffed on Wednesday, May 23rd from 11:00 am to 12:45 pm.

This research project reveals a novel finding that could change the basic understanding of how vinyl chloride get biodegraded under aerobic conditions. BCI scientists, together with Tim Mattis of the University of Iowa have discovered that methane oxidizing bacteria are able to accelerate biodegradation of VC by 'inducing' a second group of VC degrading bacteria, the ethenotrophs, to shorten the lag time for the biodegradation of VC. This findings will play an important role in using MNA to achieve VC clean up goals. The research was funded by SERDP.

About BCI

Bioremediation Consulting Inc. (BCI) provides microbiological, consulting and analytical services for environmental engineering companies which are working with chlorinated solvents and other recalcitrant chemicals. BCI expertise covers not only anaerobic processes, such as reductive dechlorination, but also aerobic processes for cometabolic and direct oxidation of contaminants. Services include microcosm and treatability testing, data evaluation relative to natural attenuation, analytical support for remediation monitoring, and production of bacterial cultures for bioaugmentation. Over the past 20 years BCI has conducted hundreds of microcosm experiments on soil and groundwater from sites located throughout the US, providing engineering clients with site-specific design information for in situ remediation projects.

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